This morning Brightlight Pictures announced the option of Michael Slade’s sensational first novel, Headhunter. A tour de force of psychological terror and breathtaking suspense, Headhunter intensifies to a final twist so shocking, so unexpected, and yet so right, that this whodunit firmly established Slade as a master of the psycho-thriller. Wil Zmak (2006 WGC Award winner for Best Feature Film for The Dark Hours) is writing the screenplay, Patrick Lussier (White Noise 2: The Light) is slated to direct, read on for the official press release.
BRIGHTLIGHT PICTURES ANNOUNCES THE OPTION OF
MICHAEL SLADE’S SENSATIONAL NOVEL “HEADHUNTER”
WIL ZMAK WRITING SCREENPLAY; PATRICK LUSSIER TO DIRECT
VANCOUVER, October 11, 2006 -- Brightlight Pictures announces the option of Michael Slade’s sensational first novel, Headhunter. A tour de force of psychological terror and breathtaking suspense, Headhunter intensifies to a final twist so shocking, so unexpected, and yet so right, that this whodunit firmly established Slade as a master of the psycho-thriller.
Wil Zmak (2006 WGC Award winner for Best Feature Film for The Dark Hours) is writing the screenplay, Patrick Lussier (White Noise 2: The Light) is slated to direct, and Brightlight Pictures principals Stephen Hegyes and Shawn Williamson will produce. Negotiations for BLP were conducted by Mary Quinn, the production company’s Director of Development.
In Slade’s bestseller, the Headhunter is loose on the streets of Vancouver and the victims are everywhere: floating in the Fraser River, buried in a shallow grave, nailed to an Indian totem pole on the university campus. All are women, all are headless.
Commenting on the announcement, Slade says Brightlight Pictures sees eye-to-eye with him on the Mounties. “They aren’t caricatures in celluloid red serge, but that's how they've been filmed for a century.” Slade’s novels aim to make them flesh and blood and so too will Wil’s screenplay. “Brightlight isn’t afraid to take on volatile stories. One hundred and fifty FBI agents live and work in Vancouver. In the Headhunter movie, both forces will go head-to-head.”
Patrick Lussier is thrilled to be on board. “I've wanted to film Michael Slade's Headhunter since first reading it almost 20 years ago. The impact of the thriller's twists and turns are as shocking now as they were then. After working with Shawn, Stephen and Brightlight Pictures on White Noise 2: The Light, it's perfect for us all to reunite on this.”
“This is a dream project with a dream team,” says producer Shawn Williamson. “Headhunter is a masterpiece of the psycho-thriller genre, an international success and it’s a Canadian phenomenon. We are delighted to be making this film – a Canadian story with international appeal -- and we are excited to be working with the remarkable talents of Michael and Wil and very happy to team up with Patrick again.”
Author Michael Slade is the pen name of three criminal lawyers. Combined, they have 100 years experience in the trial courts and have specialized in the law of criminal insanity. Slade is also the author of Ghoul, Cutthroat, Ripper, Evil Eye, Primal Scream, Burnt Bones, Hangman, Death's Door, Bed of Nails, Swastika, and Kamikaze. Slade's thrillers have sold millions of copies world-wide and are translated into many foreign languages including French, German, Japanese, Russian, Dutch and Polish.
Patrick Lussier is a virtuoso of suspense who has collaborated with horror master Wes Craven on a dozen productions. Lussier wrote and directed the vampire trilogy Wes Craven Presents Dracula 2000, Dracula II: Ascension and Dracula III: Legacy, and has edited a slate of Craven’s films, including Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Vampire in Brooklyn, Music of the Heart, all three Scream movies, Cursed and Red Eye. Lussier made his directorial debut with the horror/thriller The Prophecy 3: The Ascent and, most recently, directed the soon-to-be-released White Noise 2: The Light, also for Brightlight Pictures.
Brightlight Pictures develops, finances and produces independent feature films and television projects for the domestic and international marketplace. Company principals and producers, Stephen Hegyes and Shawn Williamson, have produced over 60 productions in the last 12 years and over 20 productions since the launch of the company in 2001, including White Noise, starring Michaeal Keaton, which has grossed more than $100 million since opening in January 2005. Brightlight recently produced its sequel, White Noise 2: The Light, starring Nathan Fillion and Katee Sackhoff; American Venus, directed by Bruce Sweeney and starring Rebecca DeMornay and Jane McGregor; and also completed filming Dungeon Siege, starring David Statham, Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds and John Rhys-Davies. Brightlight also line produced for Nu Image/Millennium Films and Emmett Furla Films 88 Minutes, starring Al Pacino; and Wicker Man, starring Nicolas Cage.
More information about Brightlight Pictures can be found here.
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VANCOUVER, October 11, 2006 -- Brightlight Pictures announces the option of Michael Slade’s sensational first novel, Headhunter. A tour de force of psychological terror and breathtaking suspense, Headhunter intensifies to a final twist so shocking, so unexpected, and yet so right, that this whodunit firmly established Slade as a master of the psycho-thriller.
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